Vermin Infestation...

[sailingdog]

TB—

I don't think Deerflies, which are usually brown with reddish eyes are the same thing as those nasty green-eyed flies. Both are horrid...

[eherlihy]

I agree with TB that the flying & biting pests are, to me anyway, worse than roaches.

However, Deer flies are different than Greenhead Flies.
This is a Deer Fly



There is a greenhead



As you can see, (despite the relative picture size) the greenhead is bigger (look at the Deerfly relative to a hair). There is a great discussion of the two pests (with pictures of a greenhead attack) here.

Of the two, I think that the greenheads are worse. If you swat one, and it falls to the deck, make sure that you maim it completely (step on it, or pull a wing off). Otherwise, it will probably shake it off after a few seconds, and come back to bite you, or a crew mate again. Also the bite of a Greenhead is bigger, and more painful IMHO.

To deal with the roaches, IIRC, the rules are:

1. NO cardboard aboard period. Take your provisions aboard in plastic, or a re-usable cloth bag which is treated with Boric acid powder.
2. NO Paper labels on anything. Instead peel the labels off, and mark cans with a Sharpie.

To deal with weevils (which will invade any cereal or flour products), Put the cereal/flour in a resealable jar/canister with 1 or two bay leaves. Apparently the Bay leaves will keep them at bay - so to speak...

[Rockter]

Sailingdog...

The idea is to bring your boat here, not Sctoland there.

Bring your boat here.

I'll stand you a beer, and you can have a wee tour of Loch Ness. Even if you just visit, I'll take you out onto Loch Ness... an excuse to sail a while. My balance is a wee bit uncertain right now, so you'd have to do the foredeck stuff.

We don't even need A/C in summer, and frozen water is almost unknown and we have salt and fresh water so the hull does not stay fouled for long.

And man, it's pretty.